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Palmer's Indian Mallow

Abutilon palmeri

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Palmer's Indian Mallow (Abutilon palmeri) at Green Thumb Nursery

Palmer's Indian Mallow flowers

Palmer's Indian Mallow flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Palmer's Indian Mallow (Abutilon palmeri) at Green Thumb Nursery

Palmer's Indian Mallow

Palmer's Indian Mallow

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  5 feet

Spread:  5 feet

Sunlight:  full sun 

Hardiness Zone:  9a

Description:

This native variety produces stunning gold-apricot cup-shaped blooms that keep coming and coming, over silvery gray-green foliage; a perfect container plant; attracts hummingbirds

Ornamental Features

Palmer's Indian Mallow features showy yellow cup-shaped flowers with gold overtones at the ends of the branches from mid spring to late summer. It has attractive silver-variegated grayish green foliage. The serrated heart-shaped leaves are highly ornamental and remain grayish green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Palmer's Indian Mallow is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Palmer's Indian Mallow is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Accent
  • Mass Planting
  • Hedges/Screening
  • General Garden Use
  • Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Palmer's Indian Mallow will grow to be about 5 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It has a low canopy, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is native to parts of North America.

Palmer's Indian Mallow makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Accent  Massing  Screening  Garden  Container 
Applications
Flowers  Foliage Color  Attracts Wildlife 
Ornamental Features